Number of FARC factions being driven out of drug business

A growing number of FARC factions are being driven out of the cocaine business by the police and army. Rather than disband, these FARC gangs turn more to other criminal activities, ranging from robbery, kidnapping and extortion to illegal mining and lumbering. For the average Colombian, these means FARC is still a threat. FARC has tried to gain some popularity with the general population, but has not been very successful. But FARC keeps trying. For example, FARC now promises to release a French journalist they kidnapped on April 28th. At first, FARC sought to trade the captive for favorable media coverage or negotiations for other concessions from the government. The government refused to talk and threatened a major search operation (which would do a lot more damage to the FARC unit who took the Frenchman) if the captive was not released. Read Article